A Mississippi man who owned, operated, had financial interests in, or was affiliated with pharmacies, durable medical equipment companies and a laboratory pleaded guilty to his role in a $51 million Medicare fraud scheme.
Keaton Langston, 39, of Booneville, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, according to a May 22 Justice Department news release.
Mr. Langston and others used the companies and lab to defraud healthcare benefit programs by offering and paying kickbacks and bribes in exchange for physicians orders for durable medical equipment, genetic cancer screening tests and compounded medications, according to the release. Claims to Medicare were submitted for reimbursement regardless of medical necessity.
Of the $51 million the companies and lab fraudulently billed Medicare and other healthcare benefit programs, Mr. Langston received $10 million in reimbursements, according to the release.
He faces up to 10 years in prison.